A Michigan woman says she can't work or crochet and her bowling game has suffered since her right hand was broken by a toilet paper dispenser in a restaurant bathroom.

The Michigan Supreme Court, in a 4-3 order, has refused to throw out Sheri Schooley's lawsuit against Texas Roadhouse in suburban Detroit. Liberal justices were in the majority in a decision that raises questions about what businesses need to do to protect themselves from liability in strange situations.

Schooley, 58, acknowledged it's a "bizarre story." She and her husband were out for dinner on New Year's Eve 2007 when she visited the restroom.

"I reached and the cover of the toilet paper dispenser fell down on my hand," the South Rockwood woman told The Associated Press on Monday. "It looked like the dispenser was up but it wasn't latched. At first I thought I was all right. I thought it was just bruised."
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But the pain didn't fade, she said, and her husband had to cut her steak. When Schooley returned to work, she couldn't use a stapler. Diagnosis: broken bone.

and how many millions does she say this broken bone is worth? :rolleyes: I can see her getting her medical bills - I mean it's not going to fall open unless it was either broken or not locked in which case the employee who last changed the TP has some culpability. But beyond that? I don't think so.

Gingersnap

12-06-2010, 09:11 PM

This is B.S. Even if her hand was broken, she wouldn't be having these problems 3 years out. I shattered 2 fingers and broke 2 other bones in my hand. Now, I had 6 or 8 months of therapy and home hand exercises but I can do absolutely everything with it and nothing hurts. I do have to order rings 1 size up because the joint never went back to it's original size but that's it.

PoliCon

12-06-2010, 09:23 PM

This is B.S. Even if her hand was broken, she wouldn't be having these problems 3 years out. I shattered 2 fingers and broke 2 other bones in my hand. Now, I had 6 or 8 months of therapy and home hand exercises but I can do absolutely everything with it and nothing hurts. I do have to order rings 1 size up because the joint never went back to it's original size but that's it.

She is clearly milking this.

noonwitch

12-07-2010, 02:19 PM

This is B.S. Even if her hand was broken, she wouldn't be having these problems 3 years out. I shattered 2 fingers and broke 2 other bones in my hand. Now, I had 6 or 8 months of therapy and home hand exercises but I can do absolutely everything with it and nothing hurts. I do have to order rings 1 size up because the joint never went back to it's original size but that's it.

I haven't been able to play the violin since I broke my elbow 3 years ago. My right arm just won't move the right way to use a bow.

The place where I swim could be in big trouble, their toilet paper dispensers are always messed up.

Gingersnap

12-07-2010, 02:25 PM

I haven't been able to play the violin since I broke my elbow 3 years ago. My right arm just won't move the right way to use a bow.

The place where I swim could be in big trouble, their toilet paper dispensers are always messed up.

Did you take your violin to your physical therapist and explain the problem? They have a lot of tips, tricks, and work-arounds for function-specific therapy. I told them about everything I expected to be able to do: play piano, sax, and table harp, knit, write (I'm ambidexterous and I like it that way), keyboard at the same speed, etc.

They worked with me on each of those skills. :)

noonwitch

12-07-2010, 03:56 PM

Did you take your violin to your physical therapist and explain the problem? They have a lot of tips, tricks, and work-arounds for function-specific therapy. I told them about everything I expected to be able to do: play piano, sax, and table harp, knit, write (I'm ambidexterous and I like it that way), keyboard at the same speed, etc.

They worked with me on each of those skills. :)

It was a work related injury and my treatment was covered by workman's comp, not by my (BCN) insurance. I never got physical therapy, just occupational therapy.

The doctor told me at the time he took the splint off that at my age, I'd be lucky to get 75% of my range of motion back. At the end of my OT (when it was determined I was able to type again), he measured me at 85%. I can't move my arm the right way to bow a violin, nor can I both move it and hold it using the proper form. Luckily, I don't need to play the violin to make a living, but I should have sued the city of Detroit for not properly maintaining their sidewalks.